kids encyclopedia robot

Carole Simpson facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Carole Simpson
Born (1940-12-07) December 7, 1940 (age 84)
Alma mater University of Michigan
Occupation Broadcast journalist, news anchor, and author
Known for First African-American woman to anchor a major network newscast

Carole Simpson, born on December 7, 1940, is an American who used to work as a journalist on TV and radio. She was also a news anchor, which means she presented the news. She made history as the first African-American woman to host a major news show on a big TV network in the United States. She is also an author.

Carole Simpson's Early Life and Career

Carole Simpson studied at the University of Michigan. After college, she started her career in radio. She worked at radio stations like WCFL and WBBM in Chicago, Illinois.

Moving to Television News

Later, Carole Simpson moved to television. She worked at WMAQ in Chicago. In 1975, she joined NBC News. This was a big step because she became the first African-American woman to anchor a major network newscast. This means she was the first Black woman to present the news on a big national TV channel.

In 1982, she moved to ABC News. She was a news anchor for the weekend edition of World News Tonight. She held this important role from 1988 until October 2003.

Moderating a Presidential Debate

Carole Simpson made history again in 1992. She became the first woman of color to lead a presidential debate. She moderated the debate between George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and Ross Perot. This important event took place in Richmond, Virginia.

That same year, she received the Journalist of the Year Award. This award came from the National Association of Black Journalists.

After Her News Career

Carole Simpson retired from ABC News in 2006. After her long career in news, she started teaching. She taught journalism at Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts. She taught there until 2019.

She also helped create the Carole Simpson Scholarship. This scholarship helps minority students who want to become journalists. It helps them overcome challenges on their career path.

In 2010, Carole Simpson published her autobiography. An autobiography is a book about a person's own life. Her book was called Newslady.

Personal Connections

Carole Simpson is related to Michael Wilbon. He is a well-known sportswriter and commentator for ESPN.

See Also

  • List of Emerson College people
  • Lists of journalists
  • List of people from Chicago
  • List of University of Michigan alumni
kids search engine
Carole Simpson Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.